Rapper, actor and activist Common has signed with YM&U management of his music endeavors, the company has announced. He will be represented and managed by Kevin Wolff, who signed him to YM&U, alongside Anthony Rodol.
Commonis the only rapper to win Grammy, Academy and Emmy Awards; he has also won a Golden Globe. Alongside John Legend, he won the Academy Award and Golden Globe in 2015 and a Grammy in 2016 for “Best Original Song in a Motion Picture” for “Glory,” which was featured in the film; his Emmy was for his song “Letter to the Free” from Ava DuVernay’s “13 th” documentary. He has won three Grammys in total beginning in 2002 with Best R&B song for his duet with Erykah Badu, “Love Of My Life (An Ode To Hip Hop).”
His 13th and latest album, “A Beautiful Revolution, Part 1,” was released last fall on Loma Vista Recordings. A track from the album, “A Place in This World,” was used as part of Michelle Obama’s “When We All Vote” campaign encouraging Americans to get out and vote in the 2020 election. He also released his second memoir, “Let Love Have the Last Word,” in 2019; his first, “One Day It’ll All Make sense” which was released in 2011.
He starred in the Oscar-nominated film “Selma,” as well as “Ava,” “The Hate You Give,” “Suicide Squad” and others.
Born in Chicago, Common — real name: Lonnie Rashid Lynn — began his career under the name Common Sense and released his debut album, “Can I Borrow a Dollar,” back in 1992. He has released albums regularly over the years, collaborating extensively with Kanye West as well as the “Soulquarians” (a loose group of musicians centered around Roots drummer Questlove who also played on albums by Badu and D’Angelo. In recent years he has focused on acting as well as music and activism.
Commoncontinues to be represented by Grandview for Film & Television, UTA, the Lede Company and Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light.
YM&U isan integrated talent management company, spanning music, sports, drama, comedy, entertainment and business management. The group employs over 250 people, with offices in London, Manchester, U.K., Los Angeles, NewYork, and Washington D.C.